Postgraduate

At the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, we offer a number of postgraduate programmes across the performing arts.

We also offer part-time, blended learning programmes such as a Masters of Education in Learning and Teaching in the Arts and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in the Arts. The Masters of Education (MEd) is a popular course for teaching artists and teachers and from across all education sectors, who want to develop their skills further as part of their professional learning.

If you are looking for doctoral study, you can apply to join the thriving Research department at RCS and undertake a doctoral degree: a PhD, MPhil or Doctor of Performing Arts programme.

Research carried out by academics at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland leads Scotland in terms of real-world impact, according to a UK-wide assessment of research quality at higher education institutions.

The results of the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF 2021) reveal that two-thirds of research impact at RCS is world leading in terms of its reach and significance, making RCS the highest ranked Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Scotland for research impact in the performing arts, and one of the highest for research impact in all disciplines.

In terms of overall assessment by REF 2021, 63% of research at RCS was rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The Conservatoire’s submission to the performing arts panel of REF 2021 was also the largest of any institution in Scotland.

RCS’s world-class research centres on two main strands of activity – Artistic Research (Practice Research or Research in-and-through the arts) and the Performing Arts in Society.

Within these strands, there are clusters around New Work and Improvisation, Transdisciplinary Artistic Research, Art in the Anthropocene, Health and Wellbeing and Performing Arts Education.

Research degrees at the Royal Conservatoire are validated and awarded by the University of St Andrews, meaning Research students enjoy access to the facilities of both distinguished institutions.

Please use the menu to discover more about postgraduate study at RCS and download our latest prospectus.